Music-leaf turner.



PATENTED JAN. so, 1906. F. J. HOLOUBEK. MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1905.

A /WA awvemtcv Fir-@422; J 2Z0 2% Z6]? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed June 1 1905. Serial No. 263,264.

To ctZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. HOLOUBEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in music-leaf turners and it consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character, and thereby render the same more durable and efficient in use and less expensive to manufacture.

The above and other objects, which will appear as the nature of my invention is better understood, are accomplished by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a musicleaf turner constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is a de tail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the leaf-turning arms. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the arm-controlling disks. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the releasing rod or plunger, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of the lever-supporting bracket.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes a suitable base, which is adapted to be secured to a piano, organ, or the like to support a music-book or sheet-music which is to be played by the performer. This base is, as shown, of rectangular form and has a lower extended portion 2 located beneath a ledge or shelf 3, upon which the music leaf or sheet is supported. The base may be constructed of wood, sheetiron or steel, aluminium, or any other suitable material. Any suitable means may be provided for retaining the music upon this ledge; but I preferably provide a rod or wire 4, which is hinged at its lower end, as at 5, and has its upper end engaged with a spring-catch 6, located at the center of the top of the base 1. This retaining rod or wire 4 is adapted to be secured in its closed position after the book or leaf has been placed beneath it.

The mechanism for turning the leaves of the book or sheet-music is mounted upon the portion 2 of the base and consists of a series of leaf-turning arms 7, which have at their outer ends spring clamping devices 8, which are adapted to be engaged with the musicleaves. These devices preferably consist of two spring-jaws 9 and a sliding band or loop 10, which is adapted to clamp them together or upon the leaf. The inner ends of the arms 7 are formed with hubs or rings 11, and they are mounted to rotate upon a shaft 12, which is journaled in bearings 13, provided upon the portion 2 of the base. The hubs or rings 1 1 are journaled upon said shaft by providing upon their faces disks or plates 13, which are secured by means of screws or the like 14 and which are formed with central openings 15 to receive the shaft 12. These plates 13 inclose within the hubs 11 coil-springs 16, which are adapted to swing the arms 7 in one direction from right to left. Each of the springs has one of its ends secured to the shaft 12 and its other end to one of the hubs 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

In order to hold all of the leaf-turning arms 7 upon the right side of the base and to re lease them successively when it is desired to turn the leaves, I provide a sliding spring-actuated releasing-rod 17, which is mounted in a recessed portion of the base 1. This rod 17 is formed with a cylindrical portion or plunger 18, which is slightly ofi'set from the remaining portion 19, as shown in Fig. 6, and which is adapted to enter notches or openings 20, formed in the hubs 11 of the arms 7. The openings or notches 20 in the hubs 11 are preferably two-thirds of a circle, so that the cylindrical portion 18 of the plunger 17 will be retained therein, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The upper end of the plunger 18 is engaged by a coil-spring 22, which is adapted to force said rod downwardly, and the lower end 19 of said rod is adapted to coact with notches or recesses 21,

formed in controlling-disks 24, which are provided upon the shaft 12 between'each of the arms 7. It will be seen that when the plunger or rod is forced upwardly against the tension of the spring 22 its cylindrical por tion 18 will become disengaged from the hubs 11 of the arms 7, and the latter will be swung over by theirsprings 16. In order topermit but one arm to swing at each upward movement of the plunger or releasing-rod, the controlling-disks 24 are formed with projecting portions or cams 25, which are adapted to coact with controlling-disks 24that is, they are adapted to lie in the path of the square portion 19 of the rod to limit its upward.

movement. The disks 24 are formed in one of their faces with curved slots or grooves 26, which are engaged by pins or studs 27, provided upon the adjacent plates 13 of the arms 7. The grooves 26 are of less length than that of the path of movement of the arms 7, and said grooves and pins coact as tappets, so that when the arms are swung by their springs 16 the disks 24 will be given a slight rotary movement as the arms near the ends of their strokes. This movement of the disk is sufficient to cause its projecting portion 25 to move out of thepath of movement of the square portion 19 upon the releasingrod, so that at the next upstroke of the latter it may pass said disk and release the arm next above it. In order to vary the tension of the springs 16, the lower end of the shaft 12 is provided with a finger-piece, so that it may be turned so as to wind or unwind said springs, and in order to hold the shaftin an adjusted position a ratchet-wheel 28 is provided upon the latter and engaged by a spring-actuated pawl 29, provided upon the bearing 13. Each of the disks 24 is provided in the recessed portion 21 of its periphery with a spring 125, which by frictional contact with the base 2 prevents casual movement of the disk.

In order to force the releasing rod or plunger 17 upwardly, I provide a lever 30, which is pivoted intermediate its ends upon an adjustable arm 31 and a bracket 32, secured upon the base. This bracket 31 is pivotally and adjustably mounted by means of a set-screw 33 and at its lower end is provided an adjustable brace 34, having a cushioned end 35, adapted to engage the piano or organ. This brace 34 is adjusted by having one of its parts or sections screwed into the other, as shown in Fig. 7. The lever 30 has a key or finger-piece 36 at one end, and its other end is connected by a link-lever 37 and a universal joint 38 to the lower end of the releasingrod 17. It will be seen that when the lever 30 is operated the releasing-rod will be forced upwardly against the tension of the spring 22 to release one of the arms 7.

The construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood irom the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It will be seen that the device will be very active in operation and not liable to get out of order, since it is composed of but few parts, which are of simple and durable construction. The device may be applied to pianos, organs, or similar instruments and also to all kinds of music racks or stands. When applied to a music rack or stand, the operative piece 36 upon the lever 30 is extended, so that it may be operated by the performers foot. By providing the universal joint or coupling 38 the fall-board of the piano or organ to which the device is applied may be closed without the removal of the device, but simply by loosening one thumb -'screw and raising the lower portion of the turner. One or more music-folios may be laid upon the base and clamped to the arms when necessary, and music in book form may also be used upon the devlce.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a series of pivoted leaf-turning arms, each having a spring to turn it in one direction, a spring-actuated sliding rod to lock the said arms in initial position and successively release them, and pivotally-mounted controllers forming stops to prevent movement of the rod, said controllers and arms having coacting means to cause each arm during its pivotal movement by its spring, to impart such motion to one of the controllers as will cause the latter to clear the rod and permit the said rod to be moved to another controller.

2. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a series of pivoted leaf-turning arms, each having a spring to turn it in one direction and a tappet-pin, a spring-actuated sliding rod to lock said arms in initial position and successively release them, and pivotally-mounted controllers forming stops to prevent movement of the rod and having curved slots in which the tappet-pins of the arms operate, for the purposeset forth.

3. In a music-leaf turner, the combination with a series of leaf-turning arms having hubs or rings formed with openings or notches, springs 'inclosed in said hubs or rings and adapted to swing said arms in one direction, a sliding rod adapted to enter the openings in said hubs or rings to hold the latter against the action of said springs, controlling-disks to permit step-by-step sliding movement of the rod located intermediate said hubs or rings and formed with curved grooves or slots, pins upon said arms to coact with said grooves or slots, springs upon said disks to retard their movement and means for operating said sliding rod.

4. In a music-leaf turner, the combination of a series of pivoted leaf-turning arms, each having a spring to turn it in one direction, a spring-actuated sliding rod to lock the said arms in initial position and successively release them, and movable controllers forming stops to prevent movement of the rod, said controllers and arms having coacting devices 1 my hand in presence of two subscribing Witto cause each arm during its pivotal movenesses. ment by its spring, to impart such motion to one of the controllers as will cause the latter 5 to clear the rod and permit the said rod to be Witnesses:

moved to another controller. E. M. SMART, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set M. H. EVANS.

FRANK J. HOLOUBEK. 

